With a growing need for adequate emergency preparation in large facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes, the risk of water shortage and water stoppage presents unique challenges. Large facilities where medical care is provided rely on water and many water-based substances for numerous aspects of care. During planned water stoppages or those that occur in an emergency, these facilities must still provide adequate care and thus require a functioning water source. The nursing staff must consistently clean and sanitize bedpans, so toilets need to be flushed frequently even during a water stoppage. Traditionally, when water is unavailable, facilities maintenance staff must travel to every restroom in the facility with buckets of water in order to provide the liquid necessary to flush each toilet. This practice is highly time consuming and requires a large maintenance staff in order to sufficiently meet patient care needs. The process is also unsanitary and often requires additional clean up steps once the toilet has been manually flushed.
Notwithstanding the above, there remains a need for a device that can provide a mobile water source for large facilities in the event of a water shortage or stoppage. It would be further beneficial if the device were easy to move from one room to another and would provide a sanitary means for handling waste and other spills.